Semi-automated deployment of a High-lift system on IMA using the Selective Middleware

This paper presents a case study concerning the implementation of a High-Lift System on an Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) platform using a system management middleware and a knowledge-based automatic instantiation process. Safety-critical avionics systems usually consist several system management functions besides the specific control functions, which contribute to high development costs. System management functions such as redundancy, signal path, and fault management could be generally constructed on generic logics. The Flexible Avionics Platform approach developed at the Institute of Aircraft Systems at the University of Stuttgart describes these logics in generic software bricks to instantiate the system management. A model and knowledge-based tool suite assists to derive the system management instantiation from an abstract high-level system architecture model. Ongoing research has introduced the Flexible Avionics Platform into the IMA environment as a selectively useable middleware called “Selective Middleware” in a partition space according to the ARINC653P4 interface specification. Consequently, a development process for the Selective Middleware has to be defined and validated by the development of an appropriate system to show the applicability in an industrial development process. Hence, this paper presents a development process for a selective Middleware, which focuses on system development aspects and gives an outlook on relevant qualification procedures. Aspects of DO-297 and ARP4754A are considered to derive the development process. Subsequently, a High-Lift System function is established on grounds of the Selective Middleware approach. This High-Lift System function is divided into two development processes of (1) the generation of the system management and IMA configuration files and (2) the development of the specific control functions.